Applebuck Mess-Up
Applebuck Mess-Up * Season #: 1 * Season Ep #: 4 * Overall Ep #: 4 * Previous: Who Wants The Tickets? * Next: My Griffon Friend Plot Apple Joe attempts to harvest fruit in Sweet Fruity Acres by himself because his big sister, Big Maclette, is injured. However, his stubborness and lack of sleep causes problems all over Trottingville. Trivia TBA Episode Prologue (Opening shot: fade in to a broad stretch of hills marked by tracts of apple trees heavy with fruit—part of Sweet Fruity Acres, seen during the day. Pan slowly across the expanse.) * [Apple Joe] (from o.s.) "Boy howdy. I got my work cut out for me. That there is the biggest bumper crop of fruit I ever laid eyes on." (On the end of this line, stop on him and Big Maclette; she has a swath of bandages wrapped around her midsection and is chewing on a stalk of wheat. When she speaks, her words come slowly and thoughtfully, delivered in a raspy, tomboyish Southern accent.) * [Big Maclette] "Uh-huh. Too big for you to handle on your own." * [Apple Joe] "Come on, big sis. You need to rest up and get yourself better." (nudging the bandaged area; she winces) "I haven’t met an apple orchard yet that I can’t handle." (Annoyed glare from her.) "Oops. Sorry. I’ll take a bite out of this job by day’s end." * [Big Maclette] "Biting off more than you can chew is just what I’m afraid of." * [Apple Joe] (irked) "Are you sayin’ my mouth is makin’ promises my legs can’t keep?" * [Big Maclette] "Uh-huh." * [Apple Joe] "Why, of all the…this is your brother Apple Joe, remember?" (getting in her face) "The loyalest of friends and the most dependable of ponies?" * [Big Maclette] "But still only one pony. And one pony plus hundreds of apple trees just doesn’t add up to—" * [Apple Joe] "Don’t you use your fancy mathematics to muddy the issue! I said I could handle this harvest, and I’m gonna prove it to you!" (Close-up of her worried expression on the end of this, then cut back to him.) * [Apple Joe] "I’m gonna get every last apple out of those trees this applebuck season all by myself!" (On these last three words, zoom out to frame the considerable expanse of orchard land before the two ponies. In close-up, Apple Joe swallows hard as his expression telegraphs the realization that this will be a big job indeed. Fade to black.) OPENING THEME Act 1 (Opening shot: fade in to Apple Joe as he walks through the orchard. One of the trees has several tubs filled with apples at its base. He stops near these and looks around.) * [Apple Joe] "Well, I better get kickin’. These apples aren’t gonna shake themselves out of the trees." (On the end of this, zoom out slightly to frame several of them in the overhead branches. In close-up, one drops loose as a tremor shakes the camera; it bounces off his head.) * [Apple Joe] "Hey!" (locking backward) "Oh, no!" (He gallops off. Cut to a long shot of Trottingville, which is shaking just as badly, then to Rainbow Star as she rises to roof level for a look. In the distance, a huge cloud of dust begins to work its way along the road leading into town.) * [Rainbow Star] "STAMPEDE!!" (A herd of cattle, to be exact. General pandemonium in town; ponies gallop everywhere, shutters are closed, a welcome mat is yanked inside a house whose front door then slams shut. Amid the chaos, Inkie Pie stands as still as he can, letting the tremors bounce him along.) * [Inkie Pie] (voice vibrating) "Heeey! Thiiis maaakes myyy voiiice souuund siiilly!" (Cut to Sunlight Glimmer, also on the street.) * [Sunlight Glimmer] "Inkie Pie, are you crazy? Run!" (She does so. Mayor Filly holds her ground.) * [Mayor Filly] "Everypony calm down! There is no need to panic!" (Melosa comes up.) * [Melosa] "But, Mayor, whatever shall we do?" (Zoom out slightly; Rainbow, hovering overhead, points off to one side.) * [Rainbow Star] "Look there!" (As the cattle continue their mad rush, Apple Joe. With him is a small black-and-white dog.) * [Apple Joe] "Yee-haa!" (Words of relief from the crowd.) "Other side, Wally!" (The dog, Wally, barks in acknowledgment and drops back. Overhead view of the herd.) * [Apple Joe] "Put ’em up, boy!" (More barking from Wally as he pulls into view on the opposite side. In town, Buttercup has come up alongside Melosa, who turns her head with a scared moan. Pan from them to Inkie, who has procured a bag of popcorn and is watching with great interest.) * [Inkie Pie] "This is the best rodeo show I’ve ever seen!" (He buries his face in the snack. Zoom out slightly to frame Sunlight on his other side; the unicorn turns away with a look of puzzled exasperation. The stampede approaches one of the bridges over the stream bordering Trottingville.) * [Apple Joe] (nudging the cow next to him) "Come on, little doggies! Turn!" (A whistle; cut to Wally.) * [Apple Joe] (from o.s.) "Wally, put ’em up!" (The nimble canine leaps up with a bark and makes his way from one broad back to another; his owner is close behind and lets off a laugh. Pan to the front of the herd; Wally is now ahead of the lead cow.) * [Apple Joe] (from o.s.) "Gotcha!" (Close-up of a twirling lasso; tilt down slightly to show the rope end in Apple Joe's teeth. He flicks it ahead and drops the loop neatly around the cow’s neck; leaping to the ground, he pulls mightily. Cut to Wally and the cow, who gets barked at.) * [Apple Joe] (from o.s.) "Attaboy!" (In an overhead shot, the cow turns just short of the bridge to run parallel to the stream, with the rest of the herd following.) * [Apple Joe] "Yee-haa!" (After a brief, tense silence, the onlookers cheer his success. Inkie has traded his popcorn for an apple-decorated pennant, which he waves with gusto.) * [Apple Joe] (digging his hooves in) "Whoa!" (Wally stops, then the herd, and Apple Joe tosses the rope away.) "Hoo-wee! Now what was that all about?" (The lead cow moos, clears her throat, and speaks.) * [Lead cow] (Minnesota accent) "Oh, my. Begging your pardon, Apple Joe, but Mooella here saw one of those nasty snakes." (On the end of this, pan to an impassive cow next to her. General shudder from the herd.) * [Lead cow] "And it just gave us all the willies, dontcha know." * [Apple Joe] "I completely understand. Just next time, try and steer clear of Trottingville." * [Lead cow] (as herd walks away) "We certainly will, Apple Joe. So long, Wally!" (The dog barks a farewell, and Apple Joe's silhouette emerges over a hill in full view of the locals, framed by the setting sun. Cheers erupt as he lifts one foreleg; in close-up, he rears up as Wally joins her.) * [Apple Joe] "Yee-haa!" (Both race o.s.) * [Inkie Pie] (jumping out of crowd, bucking around) "Yee-haa! Ride ’em, cowpony!" (He no longer carries his pennant.) * [Mayor Filly] (to Sunlight, Melosa) "Apple Joe was just...just..." * [Inkie Pie] (poking head into view from above) "Apple-tastic!" (He thuds to the ground.) * [Mayor Filly] "Exactly! We must do something to thank Apple Joe for single-hoofedly saving the town." (Inkie gets up.) "I know!" (Wipe to a bunch of balloons and the end of a hanging banner.) * [Inkie Pie] (from o.s.) "A party!" (Pan/zoom out on these two words to frame these items as part of a celebration being set up in the town square, including the pavilion. Sunlight, with Flame on her back, walks up to Melosa as the latter adjusts the bow on a red ribbon tied around a tree.) * [Sunlight Glimmer] "We all ready?" * [Melosa] "Just one last thing." (She levitates a banner decorated with the same apple pattern as Cobalt's earlier pennant and hangs it from the third-floor balcony. Zoom out from it to frame the trio on the next line.) * [Melosa] "Now we're ready." * [Sunlight Glimmer] "Is Apple Joe all set?" (Rainbow flies over.) * [Rainbow Star] "Actually, I haven’t seen him all week." (Inkie joins them.) * [Inkie Pie] "Not since the stampede." * [Rainbow Star] "But he'll be here for sure." (Pan/tilt up to the banner as she continues, putting the group o.s.) "Apple Joe is never late." (Zoom out to ground level; now a large crowd has gathered at the pavilion, where a lectern has been set up in front of the doors. Sunlight steps up to this and levitates a stack of notes, squaring up their edges and bringing the first page up.) * [Sunlight Glimmer] "Welcome, everypony! Today we are here to honor a pony we can always count on to help in matters great and small." (Next page.) "A pony whose contributions to—" (Rainbow barges in, knocking the notes everywhere and forcing Sunlight to step aside, much to her annoyance.) * [Rainbow Star] "Did you see Apple Joe's slick moves out there? What an athlete! This week, he's gonna help me with my new flying trick, and I know it’s gonna be so awesome!" (Sunlight shoves her back.) * [Sunlight Glimmer] "Exactly." (Notes up.) "And—" (Inkie pops up in front of her; the notes fall.) * [Inkie Pie] "This week, I get to run Candypuff Corner for the first time!" * [Sunlight Glimmer] "What does that have to do with Apple Joe?" (Brief pause from Inkie.) * [Inkie Pie] "Oh! Apple Joe, one of the best bakers ever, is gonna help me. Apple Joe makes everything great, so free samples for everypony!" (Cheers.) * [Sunlight Glimmer] (dryly, pushing him aside) "Okay, that’s great." (Notes up, but scrambled.) "Now if I could just make a point without being inter—" (Buttercup pokes his head up on the end of this.) * [Buttercup] "Sunlight?" * [Sunlight Glimmer] "—rupted!" (Notes fall; she moves aside and Buttercup steps up.) * [Buttercup] "Sunlight, excuse me for a minute. I just wanted to mention that Apple Joe is also helping me this week with the official chicken census, where we count up all the new chicks that were born this season." (On the latter part of this, cut to a close-up of Sunlight as she rolls her eyes wearily at all these breaks in her train of thought. At the end of this line, zoom out to frame both.) * [Buttercup] "He's gonna help gather them using his wonderful herding skills." (Pause.) * [Sunlight Glimmer] (as Buttercup cringes and slides away) "Anyone else?...Anyone?" (Cut to the crowd; no response except for a quiet cough.) * [Sunlight Glimmer] (from o.s.) "No?" (Back to her; she brings her notes up yet again.) "Well, then, as I was trying to say—" (Zoom out; now Mayor Filly stands next to her with an expectant grin. After a very long beat, Sunlight gives up with a groan and lets her notes go flying in all directions.) * [Sunlight Glimmer] (stalking away) "Never mind!" (Mayor Filly takes her place.) * [Mayor Filly] (clearing throat, gesturing to her right) "And so, with no further ado, it is my privilege—" (Quick pan to that side, framing the base of a large trophy decorated with a blue ribbon. As she continues, tilt slowly up along its height; it is gold and shaped like a two-handled oil lamp, supported by three pillars, and topped by a rearing filly.) * [Mayor Filly] "—to give the 'Prize Pony of Trottingville' Award to our beloved guest of honor…" (Back to her as she continues.) "…a pony of the utmost trustworthiness, reliability, and integrity…Trottingville's most capable and dependable friend…" (gesturing to her left) "...Apple Joe!" (Pan to that side as cheers from the crowd are heard. There is a curtain here, which opens to expose absolutely nothing; the cheers give way to gasps and silence, with the exception of Flame.) * [Flame] "Way to go, Apple Joe, that was awesome! I mean…" (He falls quiet upon finding himself on the wrong end of quizzical glances from Buttercup, Cobalt, and Melosa and an angry one from Sunlight. Mayor Filly, at a total loss, clears her throat.) * [Flame] (under his breath) "Awkward." * [Apple Joe] (from o.s.) "I'm here!" (A dirty blond, brown cowboy hat, part of an orange-tan head, and pile of apples make their way through the crowd.) * [Apple Joe] "I'm here!" (Yawn; apples fall loose and some ponies react with shock as he passes. Ground level; his legs are seen passing and leaving fruit in their wake.) * [Apple Joe] "Sorry I’m late, whoa…I was just…" (Back to Sunlight, Buttercup, Cobalt, Melosa, and Flame. Apple Joe is heard stumbling over something.) * [Apple Joe] (from o.s.) "Did I get your tail?" (At the lectern, he thrusts his face into Mayor Filly's, with two full apple baskets slung on his back. The bags developing under his eyes betray the fact that his harvesting work has cut deeply into his sleep time.) * [Apple Joe] (pushing Mayor Filly o.s.) "Miss Mayor, thank you kindly for this here, uh, award thingie." (He steps over to look at it and yawns.) "It’s so bright and shiny, and…" (Close-up of the trophy’s body, which affords a distorted reflection of his face.) * [Apple Joe] (laughing drowsily) "I sure do look funny." (Camera shifts to frame him and the trophy; he pushes his head forward and pulls it back, making high-pitched 'whee-eee' noises. Inkie joins him after a moment; zoom out to frame a truly confused Sunlight on the other side of the trophy.) * [Sunlight Glimmer] "Oo-kay…well, thank you, Apple Joe, for saving us from that scary stampede, and always being there for everypony." * [Apple Joe] (yawning) "Yeah, I like helpin’ the pony folks and…and stuff." (He dozes off and begins to snore; a moment later he shakes himself away.) * [Apple Joe] "Oh, uh…yeah, uh, thanks!" (Gripping one of the trophy’s handles in his teeth, he drags it backward off the stage and through the crowd.) * [Sunlight Glimmer] "Was it just me, or did Apple Joe seem a little—?" (Zoom out/shift to frame each in turn.) * [Rainbow Star] "Tired?" * [Buttercup] "Dizzy?" * [Melosa] "Messy?" (Puzzled looks from Sunlight and Rainbow.) "Well, did you see his mane?" (Inkie jumps into the stage.) * [Inkie Pie] "He seemed fine to me." (He does as he did with Apple Joe while looking at the trophy. Zoom in on Sunlight.) * [Sunlight Glimmer] "Hmmm..." (Snap to black.) Act 2 (Opening shot: fade in to three empty tubs on the ground around a tree. Apple Joe backs up partially into view and fetches the trunk a solid buck with his hind legs, as he did during his first appearance in Episode 1. Now, as then, so many apples fall loose that the tubs are filled in a heartbeat. He does the same to two other trees; the landscape indicating that he has already tended to several others in the same way. If anything, he is even more tired than he was at the award ceremony.) (His head droops for a moment, but he shakes out of it and squints behind himself, rearing up for another go. This time, he is too far away from a tree and hits nothing but air—and the tree has already been cleaned off to boot. Zoom out to frame Sunlight watching him from a short distance.) * [Sunlight Glimmer] (to herself) "What on earth is that pony doing?" (Apple Joe repositions himself and tries again, but kicks over an apple tub instead of hitting the tree.) * [Apple Joe] "Whoops." (Close-up of the fruit and him slowly moving hooves.) * [Sunlight Glimmer] (from o.s.) "Hey, Apple Joe!" (Cut to Apple Joe, who dozes off, then to Sunlight.) "Apple Joe!" (The harvester pays no mind as the camera cuts back to him.) * [Sunlight Glimmer] (from o.s.) "Apple Joe!" (Still nothing, so the unicorn fires up her horn and teleports over to stand right in front of Apple Joe.) * [Sunlight Glimmer] "APPLE JOE!" (He wakes up with a start.) * [Apple Joe] "Howdy, Sunlight." (Zoom out slightly, framing more trees.) * [Sunlight Glimmer] "What is all this?" * [Apple Joe] (walking past) "It's applebuck season." (Sunlight teleports over to him as he bucks another tree.) * [Apple Joe] (surprised) "Whoa." * [Sunlight Glimmer] "Apple-what season?" * [Apple Joe] (moving again) "It's what the Fruit family calls harvestin’ time." (Teleport.) "We gather all the apples from the trees so we can sell ’em." * [Sunlight Glimmer] "But why are you doing it all alone?" * [Apple Joe] " 'Cause Big Maclette hurt herself." (Teleport; he stops.) * [Sunlight Glimmer] "What about all those relatives I met when I first came to Trottingville? Can't they help?" * [Apple Joe] (sighing, moving past her o.s.) "They were just here for the Fruit family reunion. They actually live all over Alquastria and are busy harvestin’ their own orchards." (Horn warm-up; cut to Apple Joe.) "So, uh, I’m on my own." (Teleport, blocking his path.) "Which means I should really get back to work." (Sunlight holds her ground, leaving her and Apple Joe to stare each other down for a moment.) * [Apple Joe] (clearing throat) "Hint, hint?" (Cut to Sunlight; he continues o.s.) "Get back to work?" * [Sunlight Glimmer] "Fine." (She walks off. Back to Apple Joe, who begins to sway from side to side.) * [Apple Joe] "Could you step aside, Sunlight?" (As he speaks, zoom out slightly to show that Sunlight has in fact moved out of his way.) * [Sunlight Glimmer] "I just did." (Cut to Apple Joe's perspective of her; the image blurs and shifts, and her words have a distinct echo to them. This is how the bleary-eyed farmer is seeing and hearing the world at the moment.) * [Sunlight Glimmer] "Apple Joe, you don’t look so good." (Back to the pair; Apple Joe shakes his head and moves on.) * [Apple Joe] "Don’t none of you three worry none, I’m just fine and dandy." (He tries to buck another tree but misses.) "Whoa!" (Teleport.) * [Sunlight Glimmer] "Do you…want some help?" * [Apple Joe] "Help?" (shaking head emphatically) "No way, no how!" * [Sunlight Glimmer] "But there’s no way you can do it all on your own." (Apple Joe gets in her face.) * [Apple Joe] "Is that a challenge?" * [Sunlight Glimmer] "Well...no." * [Apple Joe] "Well, I’m gonna prove to you that I can do it!" (walking past) "Now if you’ll excuse me…" (Close-up of Sunlight; he continues o.s.) "…I’ve got apples to buck." (The one who actually got a good night’s sleep bites her lower lip nervously and looks after her. Dissolve to a fence in Trottingville, with Rainbow balanced atop one post on all four hooves. She is looking a bit out of sorts and glances behind her as the sound of galloping steps is heard; zoom out slightly as Apple Joe skids to a stop.) * [Rainbow Star] "There you are!" * [Apple Joe] (yawning) "I’m a might’ sorry, Rainbow. I was busy applebuckin’ and I guess I…I closed my eyes for a second, and when I woke up, I was late. Now what’s this new trick of yours?" * [Rainbow Star] (pointing o.s.) "See this contraption?" (Quick pan in that direction. The contraption in question is a seesaw placed in front of a platform on a scaffold. The high end, marked with an X, is the one closer to the scaffold.) * [Apple Joe] (from o.s.) "Uh...yeah." * [Rainbow Star] (from o.s.) "Well, I’m gonna stand on one end. Then you’re gonna jump down from that platform, launching me into the air faster than I can take off on my own. Once I’m in the air, I’m gonna do some amazing flips and spins that are sure to impress the Thunderbolts." (The following happens during this description. One, zoom in on the low end, with a blue circle being drawn around it as if a Telestrator were being used to diagram a football play. Two, pan/tilt up to the platform, which also gets a circle; a dotted line traces a path down to the high end and another one marks the launch trajectory into the sky. Three, as the camera follows the second line, it traces a jumble of loops and squiggles.) (Back to Apple Joe, whose sleep-deprived brain has found the right gear for a moment.) * [Apple Joe] "Isn’t that a might’ dangerous?" (Rainbow flies over to him.) * [Rainbow Star] (laughing) "Not for a pony who can fly!" (She zips o.s.) * [Apple Joe] (following) "Well, all righty, then." (Cut to the base of the scaffold and tilt up to the platform, where Apple Joe steps into position and looks down over the edge. His blurred perspective of the seesaw, with Rainbow standing on the lower end.) * [Apple Joe] (uneasily) "Oh, boy." (Cut to Rainbow, ground level.) * [Rainbow Star] "Ready?" (Zoom out.) "One…two…three!" (Her assistant plunges into view—and completely misses the seesaw to belly-flop in the grass.) * [Rainbow Star] (crossing to him) "Um…maybe I wasn’t clear. You’re supposed to land on the other end." (Apple Joe peels himself up.) * [Apple Joe] (woozily) "Got it." (Three more jumps see him land rump first, then on his back, then headfirst—much to the would-be stunt flyer’s annoyance.) * [Rainbow Star] "Apple Joe, what the hay is going on? I mean, I thought I was working with Trottingville's best athlete!" (Close-up of said athlete on the end of this; he shakes his head clear.) * [Apple Joe] "You are! I’m okay, really. I have an idea. Watch this." (He grabs the high end of the seesaw and pulls it down.) * [Apple Joe] "Ta-da!" (Needless to say, this effort does not please Rainbow in the slightest; close-up of her face.) * [Apple Joe] (from o.s.) "Oh...maybe not." (Back to him.) "Okay, one more try." (turning to the tower) "I’m sure to get it this time." (Rainbow‘s end thuds to the ground, collapsing her onto the seesaw when her knees and hocks give out. As she groans woozily, Apple Joe resumes his spot on the platform and squints to try and bring the rig into focus, seen from his perspective. The image resolves itself and he laughs a bit; back to him.) * [Apple Joe] "Here I go!" (He backs up a bit and gallops off the edge, throwing Rainbow into a hoof-flailing panic.) * [Rainbow Star] "WAIT!!" (Too late; gravity does its thing, and the apple-farming pony comes down full force to hurl Rainbow into the distance.) * [Rainbow Star] "APPLEJOOOOE!!" * [Apple Joe] (calling after her) "YOU’RE WELCOME!!" (Wipe to the exterior of the library and zoom in the lower balcony, where Sunlight is reading. In close-up, she is shaken out of it by Rainbow’s approaching scream and a crash that marks one very rough landing. Zoom out slightly; the pegasus is hanging over the railing.) * [Sunlight Glimmer] (puzzled) "Can I help you?" * [Rainbow Star] (weakly) "I think somepony else needs your help." * [Sunlight Glimmer] "Apple Joe?" * [Rainbow Star] "Yep." (She passes out and Sunlight mulls the situation over for a second. Dissolve to Apple Joe at work in the orchard, with full apple baskets slung on his back. He bucks a tree, ducks down to grab an apple by its stem in his teeth, and bangs his head on a low branch as he straightens up. The hit sets his entire skull vibrating before Sunlight walks up.) * [Sunlight Glimmer] "Apple Joe, can we talk?" (Apple Joe scratches at an ear, trying to clear it; close-up of Sunlight, zooming in on her mouth as she repeats the previous line. The words are nearly lost beneath the ringing in Apple Joe's ears.) * [Apple Joe] "CAN FROGS SQUAWK? I DON’T THINK SO!" * [Sunlight Glimmer] "No. Can we talk?" * [Apple Joe] "FIFTY STALKS? BEAN OR CELERY?" * [Sunlight Glimmer] "NO! I NEED TO TALK TO YOU!" * [Apple Joe] "YOU NEED TO WALK TO THE ZOO? WELL, WHO’S STOPPIN’ YOU?" * [Sunlight Glimmer] "I NEED TO TALK TO YOU!" (Cut to Apple Joe and pan from one speaker to the other in turn.) * [Apple Joe] "OH! WELL, WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY SO? WHAT YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT?" * [Sunlight Glimmer] "RAINBOW STAR DROPPED IN TO SEE ME TODAY!" * [Apple Joe] "THAT’S QUITE NEIGHBORLY OF HER!" * [Sunlight Glimmer] "YES, EXCEPT THAT SHE CRASHED ONTO MY BALCONY AFTER YOU LAUNCHED HER INTO THE AIR!" (Back to Apple Joe; the pans and the shouting both stop at this point.) * [Apple Joe] "Oh…yeah." (dropping his head) "I wasn’t feelin’ quite myself this mornin’." * [Sunlight Glimmer] "Because you’re working too hard and you need help!" * [Apple Joe] "Kelp? I don’t need kelp. I don’t even like seaweed." * [Sunlight Glimmer] "HELP!! YOU NEED HELP!!" * [Apple Joe] "Nothin’ doin’, Sunlight. I’m gonna prove to you, to everypony, that I can do this on my own!" (Walking away, he clunks his head on the same branch; this hit knocks his eyes out of focus.) * [Apple Joe] "Ow! Now if you’ll excuse me, I gotta go help Inkie Pie!" (He stumbles away, nearly dumping his freight of fruit and leaving Sunlight to groan wearily to herself. Dissolve to the exterior of Candypuff Corner and zoom in as an older female voice is heard. This shot, a longer one than that displayed in Episode 3, reveals more details about the building. Weather vane styled as a rearing pony holding a candy cane at one end of the roof, near a set of brick chimneys painted violet and decorated to resemble a heavily iced hunk of rock candy; nest of birds’ eggs at the other end; two upper stories decorated to resemble a pair of stacked cupcakes, with candles on the topmost one.) * [Voice] "Now, Inkie Pie..." (On the start of the next line, cut to the shop floor inside, where the speaker—a light pink, violet-eyed earth pony mare—is stacking packages at a display case. Her two-toned magenta mane and tail are carefully styled to resemble cupcake frosting, and she wears an apron and small red earrings. Cutie mark: three strawberries. Behind her, an earth pony stallion of about the same age comes down the stairs, carrying a bag in his teeth. Light brown coat; short, deep brown mane and tail; apron; red/white bow tie and low-crowned cap; birdcatcher spots around his nose; cutie mark of three cake slices. These are Monsieur Chocolate Cake and Madame Strawberry Cake, the bakery owners.) * [Madame Cake] "…are you sure you’re up for baking the muffins and running the store this afternoon?" (On the end of this, zoom out to frame Cobalt in the foreground, then shift to show Apple Joe next to him.) * [Inkie Pie] "Yes-sirree-bob, Madame Cake!" (Zoom out; Apple Joe needs a nap.) "Plus, I have Trottingville's prize pony to help me out. Why, he's the best baker ever!" (Hard head shake from the other.) "Right, Apple Joe?" (Apple Joe's perspective of the blue pony—the last two words still scrambled—then back to him as he shakes his head again.) * [Monsieur Cake] (from o.s.) "No?" (Cut to him.) "You’re not the best baker ever?" (This shot shows his fully open eyes, which are light green.) * [Apple Joe] "WHAT? OH, NO!" (catching himself) "I mean…don’t you fret. I can bake anything from fritters to pies in the blink of an eye." * [Madame Cake] (chuckling a bit, as the couple leaves) "Oh, right. Well, see you later, boys!" (Zoom in as Apple Joe shakes his head once more, only to have Inkie reach into view and stop him.) * [Inkie Pie] (from o.s.) "Stop with the shakin’…" (popping into view) "…it’s time to get bakin’!" (Wipe to the kitchen, where he is eyeing a cookbook in a stand on the counter.) * [Inkie Pie] "All righty. I’ll get the sugar and the eggs. Can you get me some chocolate chips?" (Pan to Apple Joe on the end of this, he has dozed off with his head on the counter, but snaps awake.) * [Apple Joe] (stammering a bit) "Eh…what was that?" (His perspective as Inkie repeats the last two words—now his ears and eyes are both working at half speed—then back to him.) * [Apple Joe] "Chips." (brightening) "Got it." (At the pantry shelves, he eyes the foodstuffs before noticing several bags of…) * [Apple Joe] "Tater chips. All salty and dry. Okey-dokey." (He grabs a bag in his teeth; close-up of a mixing bowl as the contents are dumped in.) * [Apple Joe] (from o.s.) "What next?" * [Inkie Pie] (half speed) "Baking soda." * [Apple Joe] "Soda…perfect!" (He crosses to an open refridgerator stocked with it.) "That’ll get the tater chips nice and wet." (The bowl again as a bottle of soda is poured in.) * [Apple Joe] (from o.s.) "NOW WHAT?" (Back to him.) * [Inkie Pie] (from o.s.) "A cup of flour." * [Apple Joe] (puzzled) "A cup o’ sour? Well, lemons are sure sour." (Now a bowl of lemons has been put on the counter, one sliced in half and oozing juice.) * [Apple Joe] (from o.s.) "One cup o’ sour, comin’ up." (He extends his head into frame and empties a measuring cup filled with lemon juice into the bowl. Back to him.) * [Apple Joe] "Anythin’ else, Cobalt?" * [Inkie Pie] (from o.s.) "One last thing—wheat germ." * [Apple Joe] (grimacing) "Wheat worms? Oh! That must be fancy talk for earthworms. " (Outside, he trots from the front door to a patch of dirt and scratches at it; inside, he spits a mouthful of worms into the bowl. Back to Inkie, who has taken no notice.) * [Inkie Pie] "Now that’s gonna be delicious!" (Pan to Apple Joe on the end of this and cut to the bowl.) * [Apple Joe] (from o.s., unconvinced) "If you say so." (The misguided recipe has left a thoroughly unappetizing, mud-colored mulch as batter, studded with plenty of wriggly fish bait. Dissolve to racks of freshly baked muffins atop the display case on the shop floor.) * [Inkie Pie] (popping up behind them) "Free muffin sample spectacular!" (Zoom out quickly to frame a considerable crowd of onlookers, then pan through them as they lick their chops and voice anticipation.) * [Apple Joe] (as ponies help themselves) "Yeah! Muffin spectacles! Get ’em while they’re hot!" (Clock wipe to a curtain, which is pulled aside by a somewhat frazzled-looking white earth pony mare—Nurse Tenderheart—when she steps into view. Light blue eyes, blonde mane and tail; red-cross cutie mark with a small pink heart tucked into each corner. This design is repeated on the white nurse’s cap she wears. Behind the curtain, Sunlight and Flame are framed against a stretch of Trottingville buildings in late afternoon.) * [Sunlight Glimmer] "We came as soon as we heard." * [Nurse Tenderheart] (sighing) "Thank you, Sunlight. We need all the help we can get." (On the second half of this, pan across the area: an open-air tent filled with hospital beds, every one of which is occupied by a groaning pony, with others lying on the floor. A second nurse is on duty, and some of the patients’ faces have gone green; one is vomiting into a bucket.) * [Sunlight Glimmer] "Oh, no! What happened?" (Close-up of a half-eaten muffin on the floor; Flame picks it up and is surprised to see a worm poke out of it.) * [Nurse Tenderheart] (from o.s.) "It was a mishap with some of the baked goods." (Cut to Inkie, green-faced in a bed.) * [Inkie Pie] (weakly) "No…not baked goods…baked bads!" (He fights to keep from blowing chunks; Sunlight recoils for a moment, then regains her nerve.) * [Sunlight Glimmer] "Apple Joe!" (Sounds of eager chomping are heard, surprising her; zoom out to frame Flame—scarfing down the muffin he found—at her hooves. He has gathered up an armload.) * [Flame] "Want one?" (Snap to black.) Act 3 (Opening shot: fade in to Apple Joe and a cart on opposite sides of an apple tree. He falls asleep as soon as he bucks it, but an apple bouncing off his head wakes him up.) * [Apple Joe] "Wha—? Huh?" (He trudges off toward the cart. A dissolve shows him in its harness, backing the load toward a tub that rests in a depression between two hillocks. Gravity quickly asserts itself, flipping the whole rig up to vertical so that the fruit tumbles out and Apple Joe is left on the high end, where he nods off again as his hat falls off. Sunlight approaches.) * [Sunlight Glimmer] "Apple Joe, we need to talk." * [Apple Joe] "Wha—? Huh? ...Oh. It’s you, Sunlight." (Yawn.) "I know what you’re gonna say, but the answer is still no." * [Sunlight Glimmer] "Not to upset your apple cart, but you need help." * [Apple Joe] "Har-de-har…" (He tries to flip himself down and fails.) "…and no, I don’t." (Again.) * [Sunlight Glimmer] "Here. Let me help." * [Apple Joe] "Help?" (Again.) "No, thanks!" (Close-up of the nonplussed unicorn as the sounds of Apple Joe's efforts drift over to her.) * [Apple Joe] (from o.s., grunting) "A little more…little…" (Sunlight claps a hoof to her face; a thud.) "There." (Cut to another tree. Apple Joe has moved the cart into position and unhooked himself, ready to buck.) * [Apple Joe] "I’ll prove that this Fruit can handle these apples." (bucking repeatedly) "Come on, apples…fall off!" * [Sunlight Glimmer] "Joey, I think you’re beating a dead…" (Back to Apple Joe, then zoom out to show that this tree’s branches have no fruit whatsoever and only a very few leaves.) * [Sunlight Glimmer] (from o.s.) "...tree." (One leaf drops loose.) * [Apple Joe] "I knew that." (He walks off, Sunlight following.) * [Sunlight Glimmer] "Actually, Apple Joe, I had something else to talk to you about. I just came back from Trottingville Urgent Care and—" * [Apple Joe] "You know, I’m a little busy to get lectured right now, Sunlight." * [Sunlight Glimmer] "But if you’d just let me help—" * [Apple Joe] "Ugh! No, no, no!" (Both stop.) "How many times do I gotta say it?" (walking off) "I don’t need no help from nopony!" * [Sunlight Glimmer] (to herself) "Ugh! That pony is stubborn as a mule!" (Loud braying is heard o.s.; she addresses herself to it.) "No offense." (Zoom out. A buck-toothed mule is now standing next to her.) * [Mule] "None taken." (Dissolve to a stretch of meadow in which several chickens are cheerfully hopping around and pan across it.) * [Buttercup] (from o.s.) "Oh, Apple Joe, thank you so much for offering your herding skills for the annual chicken roundup." (The two boys come into view on the end of this line, walking through the scene.) * [Apple Joe] (groaning impatiently) "Why are we doin’ this?" * [Buttercup] "Well, lots of new chicks have been born, so it’s my job to get a count of all the new families." * [Apple Joe] (passing him) "Fine. Can we just get on with it?" * [Buttercup] "Sure. But remember, these are chickens we’re dealing with, not cows. They’re a timid bunch and need to be treated gently." * [Apple Joe] "I do not need any direction on corrallin’ critters." (addressing himself o.s.) "Right, Wally?" (Pan slightly to show that the dog has come up alongside. He barks, setting the noses of two nearby chickens twitching. Buttercup now directs his words to several others.) * [Buttercup] "All right, chickens. I need you to all gather here in the middle." (Ground level on the end of this, whereupon one of Apple Joe's hooves slams down. He is having no part of the soft-touch approach.) * [Apple Joe] (from o.s.) "That's right!" (Head-on view.) "Let's go, chickens! In the center!" (Ground level; he continues o.s.) "Right now!" (Several of them, panicked, race past a surprised Buttercup.) * [Apple Joe] "Swell. Just swell." (He charges off after the chickens, scattering some in various directions while others do their best to keep ahead.) * [Apple Joe] "Put 'em up, Wally!" (The canine herder gets into the action, flushing some out of the bushes.) * [Buttercup] (from o.s.) "Apple Joe!" (Cut to him.) "Wally! Stop! Wait! You're scaring them!" * [Apple Joe] "We know what we’re doin’! Get along, little chickens!" (Wally barks and joins Apple Joe in a fenced enclosure, with a large group of chickens huddled at one end. The two make a slow advance, Wally growling quietly; zoom in on the terrified animals.) * [Buttercup] (from o.s.) "Uh-oh..." (Every eye in the bunch pops wide open in unison, followed by a massed charge and fade to black.) (Fade in to the same stretch of Trottingville in which Rainbow got a bird’s-eye view of the Act One cattle ruckus. She rises to roof level again, sees the approaching dust cloud, and yells…) * [Rainbow Star] "STAMPEDE!!" (...with the same results. Ponies galloping everywhere, shutters closed, welcome mat pulled in and front door slammed—only this time, there is no Mayor Filly to try and calm everyone down. The chickens hop along at breakneck speed and detour around one earth pony mare who faints in the middle of the street. She is bright pink, with gold eyes, a long blond mane/tail, and has three flowers as her cutie mark—this is Lillian. Zoom out overhead and fade to black.) (Fade in to Sunlight trotting along the street and humming cheerfully to herself. She stops short with a gasp, seeing not one but three unconscious earth pony mares before her. One of the two extras has a red mane/tail, an off-white coat, and a rose cutie mark; she will later be identified as Rara. The last pony is Rosy. The three come to in turn; when Rara opens her eyes, they are seen to be deep green.) * [Rara] "The horror! The horror!" * [Lillian] "It was awful!" * [Rosy] "A disaster!" (Back to Sunlight; she continues o.s.) "A horrible, horrible disaster!" (The cause of which has Sunlight mystified, since the street is empty and quiet.) * [Sunlight Glimmer] "I don't get it." * [Rosy] (rushing to ruined vegetable) "Our gardens, destroyed!" * [Rara] (racing to denuded flowerpots) "Every last flower, devoured!" * [Lillian] (still lying in street) "By...by..." (pointing o.s.) "...them!" (A cut and pan reveals the pecking at every bit of greenery in sight.) * [Buttercup] (from o.s., panicked) "Oh, no...wait, stop, little chickens..." (Stop on him.) "...wait...no, no...wait, let's go home..." (chasing a few) "...no...wait...ah, uh-oh!" * [Sunlight Glimmer] "All right." (Zoom in to extreme close-up.) "Enough is enough!" (Dissolve to Apple Joe, at the base of a tree and with baskets on his back. Zoom in slowly.) * [Apple Joe] (bucking weakly) "Must…keep…buckin’...just…a few…more…" (Sunlight trots up.) "…must…finish…harvestin’…" * [Sunlight Glimmer] "All right, Apple Joe. Your applebucking hasn’t just caused you problems. It’s over-propelled pegasus, practically poisoned plenty of ponies, and terrorized bushels of brand-new bouncing chickens. I don’t care what you say, you need help!" (One more buck brings down a double basketful of apples.) * [Apple Joe] "Hah! No, I don't!" (Cut to Sunlight, surprised; he continues o.s.) "Look, I did it!" (Slow pan across the orchard; every visible tree has been cleaned of its fruit.) * [Apple Joe] (from o.s.) "I harvested the entire Sweet Fruity without your help." (Back to him.) "How d’you like them fruits?" (Zoom out slightly to frame Maclette, who has come up next to him.) * [Big Maclette] (gesturing with head) "Uhhh, how do you like them fruits?" (A camera shift and pan reveal that on the side he has indicated, half the orchard still has not been worked. Apple Joe panicked shudder is heard, back to him on the start of the next line.) * [Apple Joe] (deliriously) "Where’d all the apple…" (His speech degenerates into unintelligible mumbling as his eyes go out of focus, and he totters back and forth before finally crashing to the ground. Snap to black.) * [Sunlight Glimmer] (voice over, echoing) "Apple Joe!" (The black screen splits horizontally in time with this as if it were an opening eye, revealing the unicorn’s fuzzy, upside-down image—Apple Joe's perspective. Normal vision and sound restore themselves quickly.) * [Sunlight Glimmer] "Apple Joe!" * [Apple Joe] (weakly) "Huh?" (Cut to both.) * [Sunlight Glimmer] "Oh, good. You’re okay. Now, Apple Joe, I completely respect the Fruit family ways." (Overhead close-up of the physically and mentally exhausted pony.) * [Sunlight Glimmer] (from o.s.) "You’re always there to help anypony in need, so maybe you can put a little of your stubborn pride aside and allow your friends to help you." (On the second half of this, Apple Joe looks nervously off toward the trees that still need harvesting. Long pause after Sunlight finishes.) * [Apple Joe] (quietly) "Okay, Sunlight." * [Sunlight Glimmer] "I am not taking no for an answer." (realizing what Apple said) "What?" * [Apple Joe] "Yes, Sunlight." (putting front hooves together beseechingly) "Yes, please. I could really use your help." (Smiling, Sunlight chuckles to herself and lets off a relieved little sigh.) (Dissolve to Rainbow and Inkie at a tree; the former bucks it so that the fruit falls into a cart pulled by the latter. Slow pan across the fields as Sunlight narrates. Buttercup lets apples from another tree drop into baskets on his back, Melosa carries two full ones away, and Sunlight levitates apples off a large stretch of trees and moves them to fall into three huge tubs.) * [Sunlight Glimmer] (voice over) " 'Dear Prince Celestial: My friend Apple Joe is the best friend a pony could ever have, and he's always there to help anypony. The only trouble is, when he needs help, he finds it hard to accept it. So while friendship is about giving of ourselves to friends, it’s also about accepting what our friends have to offer. Your faithful student, Sunlight Glimmer.' " (As she finishes, Apple Joe—now properly rested—pushes a beverage cart into view; it carries six bottles of apple juice, complete with straws.) * [Apple Joe] "How about y’all take a little break?" (Cut to Rainbow/Inkie, Buttercup, and Sunlight in turn; he continues o.s.) "I got some fine fruit punch waitin’ for you." (They gather at a table where he has set up the drinks.) * [Apple Joe] (sighing) "Guys, I can’t thank you enough for this help. I was actin’ a bit stubborn." * [Sunlight Glimmer] "A bit?" * [Apple Joe] "Okay, a might’ stubborn. And I’m awful sorry. Now, I know the town gave me the Prize Pony award, but the real award…" (His perspective of the other five.) "…is havin’ you five as my friends." * [Rainbow Star] "Phew! That applebucking sure made me hungry." (Close-up of Flame.) * [Flame] (holding up the botched, halt-eaten muffins) "And I’ve got the perfect treat!" (Zoom out slightly; Cobalt is next to him, and he recoils at the sight.) * [Inkie Pie] "Ewww! Flame, I threw those away! Where’d you get them?" * [Flame] "From the trash!" * [Ponies] (Apple and Buttercup in frame, others o.s.) "EWWW!!" (They start to leave.) * [Flame] (following the group) "Just a little nibble? Come on…" (Collective sounds of disgust as the view “irises out” to black.) End of episode.